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Our safari guides, Juma and Edson, showed up right on schedule this morning with their souped up Toyota Landcruisers. We climbed in just after 8 AM and left Arumeru River Lodge -our home away from home. This was a good day to ride around in automobiles after a solid week of walking. It took some time to get through Arusha’s rush hour, but we were thoroughly entertained watching cargo motorcycles and the like. Eventually we broke into the open country west of town and rambled along dodging speed bumps and Maasai cattle. We reached Lake Manyara National Park at midday. Early on we focused on baboons and monkeys. Some of the big animals were just plain lazy on this hot and sunny day. It was around 90 F and so the elephants we spied in the forest were sticking to shady hollows. We began to see waterbucks and bushbucks, impala and exotic birds aplenty. As we came into open country along the lake edge, we could see zebra, wildebeest, and Cape buffalo everywhere. Looking at the nearby escarpment of the Great Rift Valley, it wasn’t too hard to imagine a time when such wildlife dominated its entire 10,000 km length. We spied giraffes, although not in great numbers. A hippo got out of the water long enough for us to admire his buff physique. We saw warthogs with their little warthoglets. The big cats eluded us today, although we kept sharp eyes peeled for them. All in all it was a great day out. Juma and Edson dazzled us with their knowledge of Tanzania, its parks and people... and the fabulous critters we were glimpsing. At quitting time we were parched and ready for a little relaxation. Everyone’s eyes opened wide when they saw Plantation Lodge’s perfectly cared for gardens, luxurious rooms and friendly staff. This place will do just fine, thanks... not missing our tents. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

We drove up into clouds and fog along the rim of the Ngorongoro caldera. It was jacket weather, but that didn't prevent us from popping the tops on our Toyota Landcruisers and going down in to the Crater to see some wildlife. Immediately, we were right up close to cape buffalo, zebras and wildebeest. We saw ostriches and kori bustards by the dozens. As we cruised the network of dirt roads, we began to see lions. We stopped to watch a pregnant female take a drink, and to see a big proud male searching for the perfect shady tree to lounge under. We saw hippos doing what they are known for doing at midday (darn little) and we watched animals by the hundreds interacting at waterholes. By our picnic lunch site, we spied a couple of giant, solitary bull elephants roaming the marshland. By midday, much of the clouds had burned off and we could see the entire layout of the giant volcanic remnant we were exploring. We eventually climbed back out the steep crater walls as the afternoon progressed and left the wildlife behind. A few rough roads and then the smoothest of highways took us back to our fine lodge for a restful finish to the day. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

TheFive Day Summit Climb led by RMI guide Hannah McGowan reached the top of Disappointment Cleaver today. The team was unable to summit today due to current route conditions. The team will spend some time at Camp Muir before starting their descent to Paradise. Congratulations to today's team!

The Four Day Summit Climb Team led by RMI Guides Pete VanDeventer and Andy Bond reached the summit of Mt. Rainier early this morning. Pete reported winds of about 40 mph, but clear skies as they climbed above the marine layer. The team has started their descent and are en-route to Camp Muir. Congratulations to today's team!

The Mt. Rainier Summit Climb, led by Mike Walter, reached the summit at 8:20 a.m. With a cloud deck around 8,500ft, the weather was sunny and no wind for the climb. The team is working their way down the mountain and we look forward to congratulating them this afternoon!

Today the seminar team had a fine time learning and drilling crevasse rescue techniques. Colder today than the previous few, we bundled up and traveled a few minutes from camp to a nice staging area above a deep blue hole. The team first drilled pulling a snow-filled duffel out before practicing with a live load. Everyone got the opportunity to experience the inside of a crevasse as well as pulling a teammate out of one. Clouds are starting to build over Foraker as a southwest flow moves it's way into our area and by late morning, silence filled the arena that hummed with the activity of planes flying into Basecamp. Before dinner we rigged our sleds and packed some gear for our anticipated move from BC and up the Kahiltna glacier tomorrow. An early and quiet goodnight from the expedition skills seminar. RMI Guide Leon Davis

On The Map

The team is well rested after our long climb on Cayambe. It took us about eight hours to reach the summit and another four to safely descend all the way back to the hut. Everyone was very happy, but also very tired from such a long day. After descending from the mountain we had a wonderful lunch before arriving at Hacienda Guachala, the oldest hacienda in Ecuador, which dates back to 1580. Everyone slept very well and enjoyed the hot showers to say the least. Today we had a nice big breakfast and had a team meeting to discuss the upcoming climb on Chimborazo. Currently the climbing conditions here in Ecuador are less than ideal on several mountains including Chimbo. The local guides and I discussed the difficulty and hazardous conditions that awaited us there and decided it's a little more than we are willing to risk. The team was a little disappointed we weren't going to climb to 20,000+ft, but everyone agreed it might be best to choose a safer option. Our new plan is to climb another mountain that hasn't been affected by the unusually dry weather, yet still gives us a challenging ascent. We have relocated to a quaint little place in the countryside not too far from our next climb Rumiñahui. It's not the big mountain we were hoping for, but I'm certain we will all enjoy the climb. We'll spend the day doing some training here tomorrow and getting prepared for our next adventure. RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew

Showers, movies, pate, and packing for the upper mountain. Today we are resting and organizing at Plaza de Argentina, the basecamp for Aconcagua. Everyone is feeling great indicated by full nights of sleep and healthy appetites. The basecamp amenities have surprised us all in excellent food and comfortable accessories. The mules headed back to the barn yesterday leaving us with much heavier loads of food, fuel, and warm layers to heave up this mountain. Everyone agrees that on this beautiful warm sunny day at 14,000 feet the best part is the company. We have a tremendous group of climbers who are all acclimatizing well and ready for a carry of gear tomorrow to Camp 1. Hello to all! RMI Guide Christina von Mertens

Three for three! The seminar team had another successful climb this morning, topping out their last climb of the trip and Ecuador’s tallest peak: Chimborazo (20,561’). Fresh snow and cold temps made for challenging climbing conditions, but the team was rewarded with a calm summit sunrise and spectacular views of the surrounding volcanoes. Now off the mountain, the team is enjoying some rest and relaxation at Abraespungo before making the migration back to Quito for a final wrap up of the expedition. 

RMI Guide Mike Bennett

RMI Guide Brent Okita and the Four Day Summit Climb team were approaching the crater rim at 6:40 AM today. Brent reported a windless and gorgeous day. They will spend some time enjoying the views from the summit before descending to Camp Muir and then to Paradise. We look forward to seeing them at Rainier BaseCamp later today. Congratulations to today's Summit Climb team!